Chen Long stood in the light downpour facing the straight, nondescript city road that approached the Manta Low Orbit Launch Pad. The Chinese security guard’s clean-shaven face bore a mask of indifference as he scanned the street for company agents and discontented workers trying to trespass into the launch zone as Skyforged Engineering prepared to launch its new prototype military satellite. The manager of the research and development department was over at Manta’s city hall “persuading” the local government to approve the launch. Chen wasn’t with the manager during this negotiation, but he knew enough about how business was run here to assume exorbitant bribes were involved. Regardless of how the R&D team gained approval for the launch, the end result was that the prototype would be going up today and the team would not tolerate any interference. Chen hated standing out in such weather, and playing goon to criminals like Skyforged Engineering, but he suspected he would hate being unemployed and homeless as well, so here he stood.
After Chen had been keeping watch for about half of his shift, he saw an unusually short figure dash out of an alley and charge Chen’s position. As he came closer, Chen drew his stun baton and powered it up without needing to think about it.
Chen placed the baton between himself and the assailant and commanded, “Stop right there and put your hands up! If you don’t comply, I will use force!”
The other figure skidded to a halt, almost stumbling at the end. Once he was stable, he flung his hands into the air, eyes wide with fear. Now that Chen saw him up close, he could make out the details of his adversary. He was a child, which is likely why he was shorter than most individuals Chen had dealt with. Chen had not seen anyone so young since before he immigrated here from China. The boy had tan skin, and dark hair, and his features showed Ecuadorian descent.
“Please, don’t zap me! I am only 8!” the youth stammered continuing to hold his hands up
The youngster didn’t have any weapons and seemed harmless. Chen doubted any companies would hire someone that young to act as a spy. They would be extremely physically underdeveloped by local standards. In addition, a child below working age would draw too much attention to be able to move around Manta without detection. Chen lowered his baton, but did not put it away.
“What business do you have here?” he asked the boy.
“I want to see the launch. I heard you were going to launch a rocket.”
“The launch is not open to the public. Only authorized personnel are allowed past this point. Where are your parents?” Chen asked, keeping an eye out for anyone passing through. It was strange to see a child around, but even more worrisome to see one wandering around Manta without supervision. A majority parents would have their children stay in the ‘education programs’ or the youths would be told not to leave the house. Plus, if there was a parent nearby, they could take custody of the child, and Chen’s job would be done.
The youth said brightly, “My dad is working on the elevator! Mom became sick and then she left,” the child trailed off when mentioning this, before perking up again, “but dad says she is in a happy place.”
None of Chen’s training discussed what he should do when dealing with an unintended child. He considered contacting his boss via his mind implant to get clarification on what to do in the case of dealing with a child, but he suspected the policy would be the same as with anyone else, turn them away first and stun and throw them in a cell if they continue to cause issues. It was not Skyforged Engineering’s problem if an unintended child wandered the city alone and was hurt. If he contacted his supervisor, she would dock Chen’s pay or fire him for wasting her time on something so trivial.
There were some dangerous blocks near the Manta Low Orbit Launch Pad. Places where the stacked cubes of the Gridlock were left broken as it was cheaper to add new ones than to repair what was already there. Places that are less patrolled by corporations, and filled with those who had even less than everyone else. The desperate homeless and unemployed that had no means to survive except to prey on everyone else. Chen or any well-informed worker would know where these unsafe neighborhoods were, and find their way around it. Even if a worker was not familiar with the area, they would follow the AR navigation on their mind implant, which would avoid the worst areas as employers do not benefit at all from having their workers jumped in a random alley. Yet, this boy was young and would not have been in this part of the city often, he would not know where to avoid, and he did not have a mind implant to provide directions. Chen couldn’t leave his post to direct the boy to his home or other place he could be safe. Chen considered trying to contact the child’s father, or any corporate educational system the child was enrolled in. However, the father was likely at work, and Manta’s employment system did not do time off, if the father left his job he would wind up unemployed. In addition, Chen’s mind implant was configured to only communicate with other Skyforged Engineering personnel, everyone else was inaccessible.
That left Chen with two options. First, he could turn the boy away and trust him to take care of himself. It would be the proper action to take, and even if the youth came to harm, Chen had done things in this job that would weigh more heavily on his conscience. On the other hand, he could keep the child occupied until he finished his shift and escort him home. Chen knew he would be in trouble for talking on the job, or not turning the boy away as regulations demanded. Chen did not enjoy the options, and the decision was unimaginably difficult. However, in the end, he was proud of his choice.
For what seems like the first time, Chen risked his career for the sake of his conscience.
After Chen had been keeping watch for about half of his shift, he saw an unusually short figure dash out of an alley and charge Chen’s position. As he came closer, Chen drew his stun baton and powered it up without needing to think about it.
Chen placed the baton between himself and the assailant and commanded, “Stop right there and put your hands up! If you don’t comply, I will use force!”
The other figure skidded to a halt, almost stumbling at the end. Once he was stable, he flung his hands into the air, eyes wide with fear. Now that Chen saw him up close, he could make out the details of his adversary. He was a child, which is likely why he was shorter than most individuals Chen had dealt with. Chen had not seen anyone so young since before he immigrated here from China. The boy had tan skin, and dark hair, and his features showed Ecuadorian descent.
“Please, don’t zap me! I am only 8!” the youth stammered continuing to hold his hands up
The youngster didn’t have any weapons and seemed harmless. Chen doubted any companies would hire someone that young to act as a spy. They would be extremely physically underdeveloped by local standards. In addition, a child below working age would draw too much attention to be able to move around Manta without detection. Chen lowered his baton, but did not put it away.
“What business do you have here?” he asked the boy.
“I want to see the launch. I heard you were going to launch a rocket.”
“The launch is not open to the public. Only authorized personnel are allowed past this point. Where are your parents?” Chen asked, keeping an eye out for anyone passing through. It was strange to see a child around, but even more worrisome to see one wandering around Manta without supervision. A majority parents would have their children stay in the ‘education programs’ or the youths would be told not to leave the house. Plus, if there was a parent nearby, they could take custody of the child, and Chen’s job would be done.
The youth said brightly, “My dad is working on the elevator! Mom became sick and then she left,” the child trailed off when mentioning this, before perking up again, “but dad says she is in a happy place.”
None of Chen’s training discussed what he should do when dealing with an unintended child. He considered contacting his boss via his mind implant to get clarification on what to do in the case of dealing with a child, but he suspected the policy would be the same as with anyone else, turn them away first and stun and throw them in a cell if they continue to cause issues. It was not Skyforged Engineering’s problem if an unintended child wandered the city alone and was hurt. If he contacted his supervisor, she would dock Chen’s pay or fire him for wasting her time on something so trivial.
There were some dangerous blocks near the Manta Low Orbit Launch Pad. Places where the stacked cubes of the Gridlock were left broken as it was cheaper to add new ones than to repair what was already there. Places that are less patrolled by corporations, and filled with those who had even less than everyone else. The desperate homeless and unemployed that had no means to survive except to prey on everyone else. Chen or any well-informed worker would know where these unsafe neighborhoods were, and find their way around it. Even if a worker was not familiar with the area, they would follow the AR navigation on their mind implant, which would avoid the worst areas as employers do not benefit at all from having their workers jumped in a random alley. Yet, this boy was young and would not have been in this part of the city often, he would not know where to avoid, and he did not have a mind implant to provide directions. Chen couldn’t leave his post to direct the boy to his home or other place he could be safe. Chen considered trying to contact the child’s father, or any corporate educational system the child was enrolled in. However, the father was likely at work, and Manta’s employment system did not do time off, if the father left his job he would wind up unemployed. In addition, Chen’s mind implant was configured to only communicate with other Skyforged Engineering personnel, everyone else was inaccessible.
That left Chen with two options. First, he could turn the boy away and trust him to take care of himself. It would be the proper action to take, and even if the youth came to harm, Chen had done things in this job that would weigh more heavily on his conscience. On the other hand, he could keep the child occupied until he finished his shift and escort him home. Chen knew he would be in trouble for talking on the job, or not turning the boy away as regulations demanded. Chen did not enjoy the options, and the decision was unimaginably difficult. However, in the end, he was proud of his choice.
For what seems like the first time, Chen risked his career for the sake of his conscience.